83) Clot de la Hount

Aragón

The current residual ice formation at Clot de la Hount is the only remaining remnant of ice on the Aragonese side of the Vignemale or Comachibosa massif. Facing north-west inside its suspended cirque, at an altitude of around 3,000 m between the peaks of Clot de la Hount and Pique Longue de Vignemale, it reached a length of no more than 250 m during the Little Ice Age. Its area of 4.3 ha makes it the smallest glacier in the Vignemale Massif. In 2021, it lost its status as a glacier. Since then, its ice is of dubious glacial origin, probably the result of the refreezing of meltwater. For this reason, it is currently classified as residual and very close to extinction. The small fraction of ice (0.2 hectares) that remains under the debris (now facing northeast) is cornered at the base of the Couloir Ledormeur, from which it receives a significant amount of snow that protects it until almost the end of summer.

Este aparato glaciar pertenece al siguiente macizo:

J) Vignemale Massif

Aragón
7 glaciers

Galería de imágenes

Image of the location of the former Clot de la Hount glacier (83) in 2011. Peaks of Pique Longue (1), Clot de la Hount (11), Pico de Cervillona (10) and Punta Chausenque (3). (Marc Sala).

In the upper right corner of the image, the former Clot de la Hount Glacier, probably in the early 20th century. To the left is the Petit Vignemale Glacier and in the centre is the Oulettes de Gaube Glacier. (Postcard no. 317 ‘Le Vignemale et son Glacier – 3,300’. Les Pyrénées – Cyrillus).

The Clot de la Hount glacier, already badly deteriorated in autumn 2017, in the cirque suspended between the peaks of Pique Longue and Clot de la Hount. On the left is the Couloir de Gaube. (Jordi Camins).

Through the mist, on the left is the Helero del Clot de la Hount in 2012, nestled at the base of the Couloir Ledormeur, visible from near the summit of the Pique Longue. (Jordi Camins).